Anders Buen
Encyclopedia
Anders Johnsen Buen was a Norwegian typographer, newspaper editor, trade unionist and politician. He belonged to the Norwegian Labour Party
from the start, being party secretary as well as editor of the party organs Social-Demokraten
and Ny Tid
, but politically he was described as a "reformist
pragmatic
", and was thus a member of the breakaway Social Democratic Labour Party of Norway
from 1921 to 1927.
as the son of farmer Jon Olsen Buen (1823–1906) and his wife Aslaug Olsdatter (1826–1906). He finished primary school, and attended a secondary school in Vang, Hedmark
for two years, before entering apprenticeship as a book printer at W.C. Fabritius in Kristiania
in 1879. He then educated himself, and worked, as a typographer.
, and Buen was hired there as a journalist. The name was changed from Vort Arbeide to Social-Demokraten ('The Social Democrat') in 1886. Buen was appointed editor-in-chief of Social-Demokraten in 1900, and as this was the main organ for the Labour Party
, Buen became party secretary as well. He also chaired his local trade union from 1897 to 1898, and served one term in Kristiania city council from 1901 to 1903.
In 1903 a conflict in the party forced the retreat of Buen as editor-in-chief. He was also replaced as party secretary. Instead, he was sent to Trondhjem
to edit the party organ in that city, Ny Tid
. He served as a member of Trondhjem city council from 1907 to 1910 and from 1913 to his death. He was also elected to the first session of the Norwegian Parliament in 1906
, 1909
, 1912
, 1915
and 1918
, representing the single-member constituency of Lademoen
. He led the Labour Party parliamentary group from 1913 to 1921, and from 1919 to 1921 he served as President of the Storting.
In the meantime Buen had been succeeded as editor of Ny Tid by Martin Tranmæl
. Tranmæl belonged to the radical wing of the Labour Party, and in 1921 the moderate wing broke out to form the Social Democratic Labour Party of Norway
, due to disagreements over the Labour Party's membership in the Comintern
and adaption of the Twenty-one Conditions
. Buen, described as a "reformist
pragmatic
", joined the Social Democratic Labour Party. From 1922 to 1927 he edited the newspaper Trøndelag Social-Demokrat, which can be considered an offshoot of Ny Tid. Labour Party had officially scrapped the Twenty-one Conditions in 1923, and in 1927 the Labour Party and the Social Democratic Labour Party reconciled, and reunited. Trøndelag Social-Demokrat was disestablished, but since Ny Tid had been usurped when the Communist Party of Norway
broke away from the Labour Party in 1923, the Labour Party organ in Trondhjem was now Arbeider-Avisen. Buen worked as a journalist here for a few years. He also managed the local branch of Norges Bank from 1916 to his death in 1933, and had been a member of the board of the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate
from 1921 to 1923.
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
from the start, being party secretary as well as editor of the party organs Social-Demokraten
Dagsavisen
Dagsavisen is a daily newspaper published in Oslo, Norway. The former party organ of the Norwegian Labour Party, the ties loosened over time from 1975 to 1999, and it is now fully independent...
and Ny Tid
Ny Tid (Trondheim)
Ny Tid was a Norwegian newspaper established in 1899 by the typographers Joh. Halseth and Alf Scheflo at the same time as they established their own printing office in Trondheim. The publishers meant to create a worker's newspaper, not a socialist paper...
, but politically he was described as a "reformist
Reformism
Reformism is the belief that gradual democratic changes in a society can ultimately change a society's fundamental economic relations and political structures...
pragmatic
Pragmatism
Pragmatism is a philosophical tradition centered on the linking of practice and theory. It describes a process where theory is extracted from practice, and applied back to practice to form what is called intelligent practice...
", and was thus a member of the breakaway Social Democratic Labour Party of Norway
Social Democratic Labour Party of Norway
The Social Democratic Labour Party of Norway was a Norwegian political party in the 1920s. Following the Labour Party's entry into the Comintern in 1919, its right wing left the party to form the Social Democratic Labour Party in 1921...
from 1921 to 1927.
Early life and education
Buen was born in GransheradGransherad
Gransherad is a former municipality in Telemark county, Norway, located north-west of the city Notodden.Grandsherred was created in 1860 by the merger of the parishes Hovin in Tinn and Gransherad in Hjartdal. On January 1, 1886 Hovin was separated from Gransherad to form a municipality of its own...
as the son of farmer Jon Olsen Buen (1823–1906) and his wife Aslaug Olsdatter (1826–1906). He finished primary school, and attended a secondary school in Vang, Hedmark
Vang, Hedmark
Vang is a former municipality in Hedmark county, Norway.Vang was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 . The city of Hamar was separated from Vang in 1849. Furnes was separated from Vang in 1891...
for two years, before entering apprenticeship as a book printer at W.C. Fabritius in Kristiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
in 1879. He then educated himself, and worked, as a typographer.
Labour movement
In 1885 Buen was among the founders of the association Socialdemokratisk Forening. The association took control over the newspaper Vort Arbeide ('Our Work'), founded in 1884 by Christian Holtermann KnudsenChristian Holtermann Knudsen
Christian Holtermann Knudsen was a Norwegian typographer, newspaper editor, publisher, trade unionist and politician for the Norwegian Labour Party. He is known as chairman of his party in three non-consecutive periods, and also founded what would become the main party newspaper...
, and Buen was hired there as a journalist. The name was changed from Vort Arbeide to Social-Demokraten ('The Social Democrat') in 1886. Buen was appointed editor-in-chief of Social-Demokraten in 1900, and as this was the main organ for the Labour Party
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
, Buen became party secretary as well. He also chaired his local trade union from 1897 to 1898, and served one term in Kristiania city council from 1901 to 1903.
In 1903 a conflict in the party forced the retreat of Buen as editor-in-chief. He was also replaced as party secretary. Instead, he was sent to Trondhjem
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
to edit the party organ in that city, Ny Tid
Ny Tid (Trondheim)
Ny Tid was a Norwegian newspaper established in 1899 by the typographers Joh. Halseth and Alf Scheflo at the same time as they established their own printing office in Trondheim. The publishers meant to create a worker's newspaper, not a socialist paper...
. He served as a member of Trondhjem city council from 1907 to 1910 and from 1913 to his death. He was also elected to the first session of the Norwegian Parliament in 1906
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1906
-Results:-References:**...
, 1909
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1909
-Results: Liberal Left Party is part of coalition with Conservative Party-References:***...
, 1912
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1912
-Results: Liberal Left Party is part of coalition with Conservative Party Labour Democrats is part of coalition with Liberal Party-References:**...
, 1915
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1915
-Results: Liberal Left Party is part of coalition with Conservative Party-References:**...
and 1918
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1918
-Results: Liberal Left Party is part of coalition with Conservative Party-References:**...
, representing the single-member constituency of Lademoen
Lademoen
Lademoen is a residential area in Trondheim, Norway about two kilometers east of the city centre located just east of Nedre Elvehavn, west of Leangen, south of Nyhavna and north of Rosenborg....
. He led the Labour Party parliamentary group from 1913 to 1921, and from 1919 to 1921 he served as President of the Storting.
In the meantime Buen had been succeeded as editor of Ny Tid by Martin Tranmæl
Martin Tranmæl
Martin Olsen Tranmæl was a radical Norwegian socialist leader.-Biography:Martin Tranmæl grew up in a middle-sized farm in Melhus, in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. He started working as a painter and construction worker. In the early 20th century, Tranmæl lived for a while in the USA where he came...
. Tranmæl belonged to the radical wing of the Labour Party, and in 1921 the moderate wing broke out to form the Social Democratic Labour Party of Norway
Social Democratic Labour Party of Norway
The Social Democratic Labour Party of Norway was a Norwegian political party in the 1920s. Following the Labour Party's entry into the Comintern in 1919, its right wing left the party to form the Social Democratic Labour Party in 1921...
, due to disagreements over the Labour Party's membership in the Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
and adaption of the Twenty-one Conditions
Twenty-one Conditions
The Twenty-one Conditions, officially the Conditions of Admission to the Communist International, refer to the conditions given by Vladimir Lenin to the adhesion of the socialists to the Third International created in 1919 after the 1917 October Revolution. The conditions were formally adopted by...
. Buen, described as a "reformist
Reformism
Reformism is the belief that gradual democratic changes in a society can ultimately change a society's fundamental economic relations and political structures...
pragmatic
Pragmatism
Pragmatism is a philosophical tradition centered on the linking of practice and theory. It describes a process where theory is extracted from practice, and applied back to practice to form what is called intelligent practice...
", joined the Social Democratic Labour Party. From 1922 to 1927 he edited the newspaper Trøndelag Social-Demokrat, which can be considered an offshoot of Ny Tid. Labour Party had officially scrapped the Twenty-one Conditions in 1923, and in 1927 the Labour Party and the Social Democratic Labour Party reconciled, and reunited. Trøndelag Social-Demokrat was disestablished, but since Ny Tid had been usurped when the Communist Party of Norway
Communist Party of Norway
The Communist Party of Norway is a political party in Norway without parliamentary representation. It was formed in 1923, following a split in the Norwegian Labour Party. The party played an important role in the resistance to German occupation during the Second World War, and experienced a brief...
broke away from the Labour Party in 1923, the Labour Party organ in Trondhjem was now Arbeider-Avisen. Buen worked as a journalist here for a few years. He also managed the local branch of Norges Bank from 1916 to his death in 1933, and had been a member of the board of the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate
Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate
The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate is a Norwegian government agency established in 1921. It is under the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy and regulates the country's water resources and energy supply. Its mandate includes contingency planning for floods, serving as a centre of...
from 1921 to 1923.